ANNUAL REPORT 2019-OMBUDSMANNATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM 4.1 PHI PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL DEMIR HISAR 4.1.1. General data During the first extraordinary visit on February 14, 2019, the National Preventive Mechanism, following a complaint filed by the parent of a patient placed in the Psychiatric Hospital Demir Hisar for the occurrence of lice in the hospital, conducted an extraordinary visit to PHI Psychiatric Hospital Director Demir Hisar where the NPM team had a meeting with the director and the employees of the institution and had direct conversations with some of the patients, and at the same time it was determined how the persons exercise the rights guaranteed by the Law on Mental Health, the Law on Protection of Patients’ Rights and bylaws. This was the third visit by the NPM team, after the visits on 20.11.2012 and 26.03.2014. Namely, the parent of a patient placed in the Psychiatric Hospital Demir Hisar, at the beginning of January this year, complained to the Ombudsman that his child and other patients were infected with lice and that they lived in that unbearable condition for a long time. Acting upon the complaint, the Ombudsman immediately sent a request to the State Sanitary and Health Inspectorate to perform an unannounced inspection control to the indicated psychiatric hospital. The Ombudsman continues to monitor the case, thus monitoring the implementation of the measures through the Inspectorate. Regarding the visit relating to the specific case, the National Preventive Mechanism stated that no epidemic of lice was found in the Psychiatric Hospital Demir Hisar, so the 154